BACKGROUND: Supraglottic airways, which are easily inserted and minimize interruptions in cardiopulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres, are now widely used in pre- and in-hospital emergencies. However, most studies in these devices do not specify whether they ensure good ventilation during CPR. This systematic review aims to determine whether there is evidence that supraglotic airways enable effective ventilation during resuscitation.
METHODS: The MEDLINE and COCHRANE databases were searched for studies published in English up to 30 November 2018. Eligible studies were all those that objectively evaluated tidal volume during resuscitation maneuvers in patients over 18 years of age using various supraglottic airways.
RESULTS: A total of 3734 articles were identified, of which 252 were duplicates. Only 1 objectively evaluated ventilation during resuscitation maneuvers and presented data relevant to this review. The study included 470 patients, 51 of which underwent spirometry. Only 4.48% of patients survived to hospital discharge; however, the correlation with ventilation effectiveness was not assessed.
CONCLUSIONS: There is no scientific evidence that supraglottic airways provide effective ventilation during resuscitation maneuvers. Evaluation by spirometry, chest impedance and ultrasound may help to determine the ventilatory efficacy of supraglottic airways during CPR, and clarify whether this factor contributes to the difficulties experienced in reversing cardiorespiratory arrest.

UNASSIGNED: Various supraglottic devices are currently available for airway management and are used widely in emergency situations because they are easy to position. We undertook a systematic review of the literature comparing laryngeal tubes and various laryngeal mask airway devices (LMAs) to determine which ones can be used most efficiently in emergencies. Nine databases were searched, as follows: Cochrane Library Plus, MEDLINE, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Dialnet, Global Health, Nursing & Allied Health Database, CUIDEN, the Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. We collected studies published between 2014 and 2019 in Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese that compared laryngeal tubes to LMAs of different types for supraglottic airway management. Eighteen studies were selected for analysis after critical reading. Significant differences were not seen between tubes and LMAs with respect to most variables, but in certain contexts the oropharyngeal seal and speed of insertion were superior with laryngeal tubes; however, when fiberoptic bronchoscopes were then inserted the view of the glottis was poor. The different contexts in which these devices are used and the scarcity of studies comparing laryngeal tubes to LMAs does not allow us to identify clear differences among them with respect to efficiency. However, tubes seem to offer poorer visibility of the glottis according to evaluation with fiberoptic scopes, a factor to bear in mind if tracheal intubation, which is considered the gold standard, might become necessary.
RESULTS: En la actualidad, el uso de los dispositivos supraglóticos (DSG) para el manejo de la vía aérea está ampliamente extendido en urgencias y emergencias por su fácil manejo. El objetivo de la presente revisión es comparar los dispositivos supraglóticos para el manejo de la vía aérea, tubo laríngeo (TL) y máscara laríngea (ML), en sus diferentes versiones, para determinar cuál de ellos reúne las mejores condiciones para un uso eficiente en la atención a urgencias y emergencias. Se realiza una revisión sistemática de la literatura a través de la consulta en 9 bases de datos bibliográficas: Biblioteca Cochrane Plus, Medline, CINAHL, Dialnet, Global Health, Nursing & Allied Health Database, CUIDEN, Web of Science y ScienceDirect. Fueron seleccionados registros que estaban comprendidos entre los años 2014 y 2019, en español, inglés, francés y portugués, donde se realizara una comparación entre los DSG, TL y ML, en sus diferentes versiones. Se identificaron un total de 18 estudios válidos tras la lectura crítica. En la mayoría de aspectos evaluados, no se apreciaron diferencias significativas entre ambos dispositivos. Destancaba una presión de sellado orofaríngeo y velocidad de inserción superior en determinados contextos en la utilización del TL, y existía además una visión menor de la glotis mediante la utilización del broncoscopio. Los diferentes contextos en que se puede presentar la utilización de los DSG y la escasez de registros que comparan el TL con las ML en sus diferentes versiones no permite una clara diferenciación en cuanto a eficacia. No obstante, sí parece evidenciarse una visión menor de la glotis en la utilización del TL tras ser valorado con el fibroscopio, factor a tener en cuenta si se tiene presente que en la atención secundaria la intubación selectiva mediante la intubación traqueal, considerada el “patrón oro”, puede llegar a ser una necesidad.